Mail-bag fastening



(No Model.)

S. M. MOORE. MAIL BAG FASTENING.

No. 408,039. Patented July 80, 1889.

N. PETERS. Flwlo'Limogmpher, Washinglcn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SETH M. MOORE, OF HARPER, KANSAS.

MAlL-BAG FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,039, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed April 29, 1889.

- To all whom it 72mg concern.-

Be it known that I, SETH M. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Harper, in the county of Harper and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fastenings; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of this invention and shows one side of the upper portion of a mail-bag with'its fastenings. Fig. 2 shows the side of the bag upon which the flap folds, the flap being partly raised to show the apertures in the side of the bag. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken where the broken line or 00 is marked on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail and shows a portion of the strap. Fig. 5 is a 'view of the edge, to which the strap is fastened by a rivet.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail-bag fastenings; and it consists of the combination and novel construction of parts, as will appear from the following description and accompanying illustrations.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a flap A, which is firmly riveted to one side of the mail bag' or pouch B, near one edge of its opening or month, which closes or laps the said opening or mouth. The flap A has through its portion secured to the bag or pouch B a series or rowof apertures a a, coincident with which and in the side of the bag directly to which the flap is secured is a similar series or row of apertures a a. In the opposite or other side of the bag or pouch Bis also a series or row of apertures a a somewhat larger than and registering with the series of apertures a a, and re-enforced or armed with eyelets, as shown.

Upon the normally-outer upper edge or center of the flap A is riveted a handle Z7, as usual, while to both the bag and flap is riveted a series or row of metallic keepers O O, forming virtually a continuous keeper, each. firmly fastened at each end by a rivet passing through it and the flap and bag.

In each keeper 0 are coincident apertures c c, registering with the apertures a a of the bag and flap, one aperture 0 being in the inner plate or surface of the keeper and the other aperture 0 being in its outer plate or surface. The employment of a series of separate keepers permits of the requisite flexibility of the bag or pouch, preventing it from being unyielding or rigid at that point. Through these keepers passes and is retained a stout or thick strap D, preferably of leather, and having a series of slots (Z (Z, having apertures at one end which receive a series of headed pins F F, firmly secured to the flap A near its free edge. The secured ends of the pins F are brazed or fixed to plates F, rivone end to the bag or pouch near its opening or month, while to the opposite end of said strap is secured a catch 6, engaging the locking mechanism of a spring-lock G, fastened to the flap and bag. To the catch is applied a thumb-screw or button H, which passes through a slot f in the lock-case to permit of the movement of the button with the strap, and which can be used to hold the catch out of engagement with the look When the bag or pouch is open, it being turned or screwed inward to cause its head to bear upon the lockcase. Its primary use, however, is to unite wit-h a second button f', applied to the strap D, near the opposite end of the bag or pouch, to allow of the ready manipulation or sliding of the strap in locking and unlocking the latfor, as maybe required. The button f passes through a slot f in one of the keepers O, which allows of its movement with the strap, as alsolimits said movement, the outward maximum movement of the strap bringing the apertures orcircular portions of its slots d d in alignment with the heads of the pins F F.

The strap, it is obvious, can be readily adapted to be fastened by means of the ordinary or other mail-pouch padlock, if the latter is desired to take the place of the spring lock herein shown.

This invention, it will be seen, is simple, cheap, readily applied, and strongindispensable qualities of a mail-pouch fastening.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure bv Letters Patent,

eted to the flap. The strap D is riveted at.

The mail-bag fastening having a series of proper engaging a catch of said strap, subseparate keepers having coincident apertures, stantially as set forth. Io the strap having a series of apertures pro- In testimony whereof I affix my signature Vided with slots, and having the inanipulatin presence of two witnesses.

5 ing-buttons, one passing through a slot of the SETH M. MOORE.

1ock-ease and the other passing through a slot Vitnesses: of one of the keepers, the series of headed pins J. N. MOINTIRE,

' secured to the flap, and the lock-fastening J. F. DARROUGH. 

